Introduction
This recipe was inspired by the Holiday 2000 Williams-Sonoma Taste magazine.
Directions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add beef and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or, preferably, overnight.
Ingredients
3 pounds boneless, well-marbled
stew beef, cubed
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1-1/2 pounds pearl onions or
shallots, peeled
3 celery stalks, peeled and sliced
1 14-1/2-ounce can diced, peeled
tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Marinade
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
3 whole allspice berries
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of nutmeg
Drain beef, reserving marinade. Melt butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté onions and celery until softened, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl.
Add remaining olive oil to pan. Sauté beef, in batches if necessary, until browned, about 10 minutes. Return onions and celery to pan. Add reserved marinade, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper and enough water to just cover beef. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer partially covered, until beef is tender and sauce is thickened, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Yield: 4-6 servings
(Added: January 13, 2002)